U-haul and school bus collide in California

A U-haul backed into the path of an oncoming school bus causing the bus to spin, landing on its side on Thursday. Seventeen were injured in the crash, though none of the injuries were life-threatening.

The crash occurred around 2 p.m. as the children were being taken home from Galileo Academy in Victorville, about 60 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

The U-Haul was backing out of a driveway as the bus, carrying students ages 9 to 11, approached, driving the 40 mph speed limit, Zubieta said.

"At that time there was a mother and daughter in the process of backing out a U-Haul out of their driveway," with the mother driving as her daughter directed, Zubieta said. "Somewhere along the line there was a lack of communication and the mother backed the U-Haul all the way out in the street, directly into the path of the school bus."

The driver tried to swerve left to avoid a collision but was unable to prevent a crash.

"The rear end of the U-Haul hit the right side of the school bus by the rear axle, causing it to spin and ultimately roll onto its left side blocking both traffic lanes," Zubieta said.

One of the children who was seriously injured suffered a laceration to the head, and the other possibly had a broken leg, he said.